title: Baicalein, an active component of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, improves cardiac contractile function in endotoxaemic rats via induction of heme oxygenase-1 and suppression of inflammatory responses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the protective effect of baicalein on myocardial dysfunction caused by endotoxaemia in rats and to explore the possible mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baicalein (10mg/kg, intravenous) was administered to conscious Wistar rats 30min after lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10mg/kg, intravenous) challenge. Six hours after LPS administration, the contractile function of the isolated heart was examined using the Langendorff technique. Cardiac protein expression related to inflammatory responses, superoxide anion production and caspase-3 activity were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-treatment with baicalein significantly attenuated the LPS-induced hypotension with accompanying tachycardia. The contractile function of isolated heart was significantly preserved 6h after LPS administration, following treatment with baicalein. Furthermore, baicalein induced the expression of heme oxygenase-1 protein and reduced superoxide anion formation in the myocardium of LPS-treated rats. Cardiac levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, phospho-IκBα and phospho-p65 protein and caspase-3 activity significantly increased 6h after LPS challenge but baicalein significantly attenuated these LPS-induced changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baicalein improves myocardial contractility in LPS-induced sepsis, which may be related to reductions in oxidative stress, myocardial inflammatory responses and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Pao-Yun
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Lih-Shin
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chim
authors.forename: Ching-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Shuk-Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ka
authors.forename: Ming-Tzeung
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Joen-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sheu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000378:metabolism*; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D044950:Flavanones; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C000606206:Nfkbia protein, rat; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063447:p65 oncofetal mRNA transport protein, rat; D013481:Superoxides; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; C006680:baicalein; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); C491523:Hmox1 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3